{"id":3953,"date":"2012-10-02T07:39:39","date_gmt":"2012-10-02T15:39:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/?p=3953"},"modified":"2013-03-21T00:57:17","modified_gmt":"2013-03-21T08:57:17","slug":"did-clay-aiken-learn-that-he-lost-american-idol-before-the-results-were-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2012\/10\/02\/did-clay-aiken-learn-that-he-lost-american-idol-before-the-results-were-revealed\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Clay Aiken Learn That He Lost American Idol Before The Results Were Revealed?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here<\/a> to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far.<\/p>\n

TV URBAN LEGEND<\/span><\/u>: Clay Aiken learned of the results of American Idol Season 2 before they were revealed.<\/p>\n

The finale of American Idol Season 2 was mostly likely the closest finale the show will ever see, with Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken separated by 130,000 votes out of 24 million votes cast.<\/p>\n

\"american-idol-rewind2\"<\/center><\/p>\n

The final result, though, was not a surprise to one of the contestants, for Clay Aiken actually knew that he did not win!
\n
\nRyan Seacrest has the name of the winner on a card that he carries with him during the show.<\/p>\n

Here is a picture of Ryan with the card in Season 5, after informing Taylor Hicks that he won American Idol Season 5…<\/p>\n

\"26\"<\/center><\/p>\n

Now, I don’t know how American Idol handles it since American Idol Season 2, but in Season 2, Seacrest had the card with him all night.<\/p>\n

And at one point early in the Season 2 finale, Aiken got a peek at the card (it is unclear exactly how – but Aiken is noticeably taller than Seacrest – likely about four inches taller, so perhaps Seacrest was simply holding the card in such a manner that someone could read over his shoulder).<\/p>\n

Aiken revealed on Larry King Live that yes, he DID get a peak at the card, but the backstage lights created such a glare on the card that he could not actually read it. However, he could make out the basic length of the winner’s name, and since “Ruben Studdard” is noticeably longer than “Clay Aiken,” he knew that he was not the winner.<\/p>\n

Right before the winner was announced, Aiken whispered into Studdard’s ear that Studdard was, in fact, the winner.<\/p>\n

I imagine Idol has precautions in place after that to avoid such an event in the future.<\/p>\n

The legend is…<\/p>\n

STATUS<\/span><\/u>: True<\/p>\n

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future urban legends columns! My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far. TV URBAN LEGEND: Clay Aiken learned of the results of American Idol Season 2 before they were revealed. The finale […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[8],"tags":[548,1464,1466,1465,1463],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7MjBq-11L","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3955,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2012\/10\/02\/did-season-8-of-american-idol-have-a-problem-with-a-phone-sex-company-owning-similar-phone-numbers-to-their-show\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":0},"title":"Did Season 8 of American Idol Have a Problem With a Phone Sex Company Owning Similar Phone Numbers to Their Show?","date":"October 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far. TV URBAN LEGEND: When Season 8 went to a Final 13 instead of a Final\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "TV Legends Revealed"","img":{"alt_text":"adam-parting-shot-satisfaction","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/adam-parting-shot-satisfaction.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3957,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2012\/10\/02\/did-american-idol-just-skip-austin-texas-in-season-5-and-pretend-that-other-cities-were-austin\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":1},"title":"Did American Idol Just Skip Austin, Texas in Season 5 and Pretend That Other Cities Were Austin?","date":"October 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far. TV URBAN LEGEND: In Season 5, American Idol skipped Austin, Texas and just pretended that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "TV Legends Revealed"","img":{"alt_text":"jason-horn-01-2006-2-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/jason-horn-01-2006-2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6402,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2015\/05\/21\/did-former-american-idol-judge-kara-dioguardi-help-create-a-musical-hoax-with-dave-stewart-of-eurythmics\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":2},"title":"Did Former American Idol Judge Kara DioGuardi Help Create a Musical Hoax With Dave Stewart of Eurythmics?","date":"May 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about music and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the movie urban legends featured so far. MUSIC URBAN LEGEND: Before becoming a judge on American Idol, Kara DioGuardi was part of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music Legends Revealed"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5954,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2014\/08\/04\/did-gracie-allen-really-receive-tens-of-thousands-of-write-in-votes-for-u-s-president-in-1940\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":3},"title":"Did Gracie Allen Really Receive Tens of Thousands of Write-In Votes for U.S. President in 1940?","date":"August 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends related to radio and the people \"behind the microphone,\" so to speak, and whether they are true or false. RADIO URBAN LEGEND: Gracie Allen received tens of thousands of votes in a joke campgaign for President in 1940.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Grab Bag Legends"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6438,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2015\/05\/29\/does-simon-cowell-own-the-rights-to-hallelujah\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":4},"title":"Does Simon Cowell Own the Rights to “Hallelujah”?","date":"May 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about music and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the movie urban legends featured so far. MUSIC URBAN LEGEND: American Idol's parent company and\/or Simon Cowell owns the publishing rights to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music Legends Revealed"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4755,"url":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/2013\/05\/28\/did-billy-idol-write-white-wedding-as-a-put-down-towards-his-sister\/","url_meta":{"origin":3953,"position":5},"title":"Did Billy Idol Write “White Wedding” as a Put-Down Towards His Sister?","date":"May 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about music and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the music urban legends featured so far. MUSIC URBAN LEGEND: Billy Idol wrote \"White Wedding\" as a put down towards his sister.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music Legends Revealed"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3953"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3953"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4544,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3953\/revisions\/4544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsrevealed.com\/entertainment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}